The Dipopantunu Bai Tradition in Tana Toraja and its Relevance to Calvin’s Teachings about Atonement

Abstract

This paper aims to explain the tradition of dipopantunu bai in Tana Toraja and its relevance to Calvin’s teaching on atonement. This writing is motivated by the existence of traditions in Toraja society that encounter the church, and more especially Calvin’s teachings. This is an essential matter because tradition or culture and the church are two things that cannot be separated. Therefore, in order to provide a correct understanding of the dipopantunu bai tradition, it is necessary to be relevant in terms of Calvin’s teaching on atonement. The method used in this study is a qualitative research method with an ethnographic approach that seeks to explore dipopantunu bai culture and atonement in the teaching of Calvinism. The results of this study show that Calvinists no longer view and prioritize the guilt of atonement in receiving forgiveness or salvation from God because the salvation received by humans is grace. However, the dipopantunu bai tradition in a Calvinist perspective can be used as a means to realize mistakes or sins in order to return to the grace given by God.